Who owns your book, ISBN and publishing accounts?
Copyright
In the United States, copyright exists automatically when you create the work. Registering it with the US Copyright Office is optional, but it gives extra legal benefits. You can register yourself on the official government site. The fee is currently $45 for a single author filing one work, or $65 for the standard application. Check the Copyright Office site for the current fee before you apply.
ISBN
An ISBN is the number that identifies a specific edition of your book. Each format (paperback, hardcover, ebook) normally needs its own. In the US ISBNs are sold by Bowker; in the UK by Nielsen. The name registered on the ISBN is the publisher of record. If a company registers it in its own name, that company appears as your publisher.
Amazon KDP offers a free ISBN for print books, but the free one lists KDP as the publisher and can only be used on KDP. Kindle ebooks do not need an ISBN.
Publishing accounts
Your KDP and IngramSpark accounts hold your sales reports, your royalties and your bank details. They should be opened by you, with your email and your tax details. A service can guide you through setup while you stay in control.
Files
Ask to receive print-ready PDFs, the ebook file, the cover files and any source files you paid for. Put this in the quote.
A simple check
- Can I log in to every account myself?
- Is my name or my imprint on the ISBN?
- Will I get all final files when I finish?
Viltoria's promise is that your copyright, files and accounts stay in your name. Read our terms, section 7.
Not sure what applies to your book?
Author Support gives you a plain-words review of your quote and a written Book Needs Report. $50, with a 100-day refund or package credit.
Join Author Support
